Comments on: Ladson’s Inbox 12/28/12 editionhttp://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596
"... the reason you win or lose is darn near always the same - pitching.” -- Earl WeaverFri, 09 Dec 2016 14:49:20 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.5By: Todd Bosshttp://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7718
Fri, 04 Jan 2013 15:30:38 +0000http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7718I heard the 35s were now playing mid-week. We had a guy leave our 25 team b/c he wanted to play mid-week instead of having his weekends tied up. I’d say that’d make sense, except that when we had mid-week games it was damn near impossible to get 9 players, and traffic in this area makes getting to games nearly impossible. In fact, one of the main reasons our old Vienna Braves team disbanded (we were the last of the original franchises dating to the beginnings of the league back in early 90s) was exactly that; just couldn’t get guys. We had an 8pm game in Silver Spring one mid-week night years ago; a guy left his house in Aldie at like 5pm to get there … and we didn’t have enough guys and we had to forfeit. I’ve never seen someone so mad. I once left my job in Georgetown at 5:30 to make an 8pm game start in Leesburg and barely freaking made it. This is essentially why I won’t play 35s right now

There’s nothing wrong with having different leagues with different skill levels. The guy who owns Ponce also manages and plays in DCMSBL, so he’s not passing judgement either. I probably am in the “judgemental” side about Ponce, but recognize that it serves a purpose; it allows access to players who are perhaps slightly less talented and wouldn’t be able to get onto a dcmsbl team. I once attended a draft for DCMSBL and watched as dozens of guys tried out, 5 got drafted and the rest just sat there as the commissioner was like, “well, we’ll put you on the waiting list.” It was really embarassing, and I thought at the time that, gee it’d be nice if we could just roll all these guys onto a team in a lower division. Today, we’d probably send them en masse to Ponce and they’d be playing instead of being completely disillusioned.

I always thought that it made more sense if Ponce was associated with DCMSBL in this fashion and was just another “division” instead of being its own league. Same way I think the Industrial league (now down to just 5 teams) makes more sense to be rolled into a “super division” within dcmsbl and perhaps play against the best 19+ teams, or perhaps everyone plays wood (and thus could include NABA; does it even still exist?) But there’s politics involved, as always.

]]>By: John C.http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7717
Fri, 04 Jan 2013 15:07:23 +0000http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7717We played weeknights (often two nights a week) during the summer, not weekends. That enabled me to pick up the Ponce league to feed my addiction.

A lot of guys in DCMSBL have an attitude about Ponce, and Ponce IS less competitive. But there are usually 5-7 guys on each Ponce team that could, and often do, play in DCMSBL without missing a beat. And I never make fun of someone who is actually playing baseball

]]>By: Todd Bosshttp://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7716
Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:56:59 +0000http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7716Ah, makes sense. We never wanted to play 35+ because the games were on saturdays. So we’re essentially a 35+ team in the 25+ division regularly getting our asses handed to us by the younger/better teams. It works out b/c in the “lower” 25+ divisions there’s plenty of older/weaker teams like us, so the competition is generally ok. I keep meaning to request a sunday-only 35+ division at the Manager’s meetings, but I know that scheduling is already a complete nightmare in this league and don’t want to create any more bother.
]]>By: John C.http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7694
Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:36:33 +0000http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7694The Generals jumped straight into the 35+ Division, so all my DCMSBL experience has been in the 35+ Division (for which I’m pretty firmly overqualified :-). I joined Reds in 2005, which may well have been the year that they moved into the 35+ division. Their manager had also played on the Senators in 2004, and brought me over – that’s what makes me think it was their first year in the 35+.

If I can get my shoulder right I may get back into the DCMSBL, but probably in the 45+ division, at least at first. Good luck on the field this summer – I know that I will miss it terribly.

]]>By: Todd Bosshttp://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7677
Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:33:37 +0000http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7677Never heard of the Generals, but certainly have heard of the PW Reds. We played them for years and years as the Braves in 25+/28+/30+. In fact, the one time I ever got a chance to play in Prince William stadium was a game we played against the Reds. I can’t remember the year (it had to be at least 6 years ago though). I can’t remember when they moved to 35+; did you ever play with them prior to that age group move? We had to have played against each other at some point.
]]>By: John C.http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7676
Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:20:16 +0000http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7676I played in the NABA from 1994 until the late 90’s with the Generals. Sometime in the late 90’s the team jumped to the (then) 28+ DCMSBL as the Ashburn Generals. I moved to the 35+ Prince William Reds around 2004. I shut it down halfway through last summer because my shoulder was killing me. Turns out I needed a full shoulder overhaul (torn labrum (SLAP); rotator cuff; biceps tendon and bone spurs). At least now I know why it was taking me so long to warm up. Surgeon told me no baseball in 2013, and I have no idea what I’m going to do with my summer.
]]>By: Todd Bosshttp://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7673
Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:40:40 +0000http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7673While in college I played in the Credit Union during the summer, now defunct and rolled into the Industrial league. Since 98 i’ve played DCMSBL; for the Vienna Braves most of that time until we folded, then for the last three years the Chantilly Cardinals in the 25+ league.
]]>By: John C.http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7667
Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:53:21 +0000http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7667 Now i’m playing in much more relaxed settings and generally don’t have a problem making the throw across the diamond, but I still struggle on a flip of the ball from short->second in the midst of a double play.

What leagues do you play in? I was in the NABA a number of years ago, and have played in both the MSBL and the local Ponce league.

]]>By: Todd Bosshttp://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7659
Mon, 31 Dec 2012 20:37:33 +0000http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=5596#comment-7659Skole is one of those “old man skills” type players who modern scouts have a hard time quantifying, it seems to me. Tyler Moore was the same way, as is Michael Morse to a certain extent. 27 homers, a 1,000 OPS is great … but it was low-A. And he was old for that level. I will say this: if Skole can hit like that in Potomac (i’m assuming he starts in Potomac since he ended there last season) and then again in Harrisburg, then I’ll have more confidence. Moore had a similar meteoric rise; hitting 31 homers two successive seasons at two different levels.

Not that its my money, and not that I really care whether or not the Lerners save $13M … but the team absolutely can start 2013 right as they stand, as is. There’s not really a need to spend another $13M/year on LaRoche.